Donald Trump’s administration has installed fences around the Reflecting Pool. The update comes shortly after reports of peeling paint and other issues amid Trump’s renovation efforts. The president has most recently accused vandals of causing the latest mishaps at the landmark.
Donald Trump’s reflecting pool is covered by fences
A video captured by TMZ on Tuesday, June 23, shows several workers installing fences around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The block comes amid the latest reports of algae bloom and peeling of the new “American Flag Blue” paint job at the bottom of the pool.
The Department of the Interior has issued a statement confirming that it has put up the fences early. “The Reflecting Pool was always set to be fenced off ahead of the 4th of July,” a spokesperson from the department said.
“As in years prior, one of the launch pads for the fireworks is around the pool so fencing is put up to ensure public safety. With the increase in vandalism by leftist activists, the fencing is going up earlier than originally planned to ensure no more damage is done to this historic site,” they added.
Donald Trump‘s $14 million renovation plans for the Reflecting Pool continue to spark controversy. While it took about six weeks to complete, several reports of a new algal bloom in the pool emerged shortly after. In a June 19 Truth Social post, Trump accused vandals of causing the mishaps. The president claimed that vandals used chemicals “to try to destroy and demean our beautiful work.”
Trump made another post announcing that he will re-drain the Pool to rectify the new issues. The POTUS also confirmed that authorities have arrested “multiple individuals” for allegedly vandalizing the landmark. This included Olympian David Hearn, who reportedly touched one of the “flapping pieces” in the Pool out of curiosity.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Hearn maintained his innocence. “I didn’t vandalize anything,” he stated. The Olympian further explained, “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.”
